CVE-2016-9193 in FireSIGHT
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the malicious file detection and blocking features of Cisco Firepower Management Center and Cisco FireSIGHT System Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass malware detection mechanisms on an affected system. Affected Products: Cisco Firepower Management Center and FireSIGHT System Software are affected when they are configured to use a file policy that has the Block Malware action. More Information: CSCvb27494. Known Affected Releases: 6.0.1.1 6.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9193 represents a critical flaw in Cisco Firepower Management Center and FireSIGHT System Software that undermines fundamental security controls designed to protect against malicious file execution. This weakness specifically targets the malware detection and blocking mechanisms that organizations rely upon to prevent unauthorized code execution within their network perimeters. The vulnerability exists within the file policy enforcement subsystem where the system fails to properly validate or process malicious file detection requests, creating a potential bypass mechanism that allows attackers to circumvent security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and processing within the malware blocking functionality of the affected Cisco products. When a file policy is configured with the Block Malware action, the system should rigorously inspect incoming files and prevent execution of known malicious content. However, the flaw enables an unauthenticated remote attacker to craft specific requests or file patterns that evade the detection mechanisms, effectively rendering the configured security policies ineffective. This represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement, as the system does not adequately validate that incoming requests conform to expected security parameters before processing them through the malware blocking pipeline.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple bypass of security controls to potentially enable complete compromise of affected systems. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could execute malicious code without detection, potentially leading to persistent threats within the network infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access or valid credentials to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely heavily on network-based security controls. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of security services, as legitimate security policies become ineffective against malicious file execution attempts.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies that include applying the latest security patches from Cisco, reviewing and strengthening file policy configurations, and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect potential exploitation attempts. The mitigation approach should align with industry standards such as those outlined in the CWE taxonomy under CWE-20 for Improper Input Validation, which directly relates to the validation failures that enable this vulnerability. Additionally, security practitioners should consider implementing network segmentation and additional layers of defense as recommended in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly focusing on the execution and persistence phases where this vulnerability could enable further compromise of the affected systems.
Cisco has addressed this vulnerability through security updates that correct the input validation procedures within the malware detection and blocking mechanisms. Organizations should verify that their systems are running patched versions and conduct thorough security assessments to ensure complete remediation of the vulnerability. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and demonstrates how flaws in core security functionality can have cascading effects throughout an organization's defensive posture. Security teams should also implement enhanced monitoring for anomalous file processing activities and maintain detailed audit trails to detect potential exploitation attempts that might occur during the window between vulnerability disclosure and patch deployment.